Okay, full disclaimer the prices shown here are in no way any indication of what they’ll be in New Zealand but it’s a good benchmark. Some of the trim levels, such as the base car, may not even be available inn NZ. The cars we get may come with more equipment as standard. The base MX-5 in Japan doesn’t even have air con. Also, the prices for the JDM-spec MX-5 are for the 1.5-litre SkyActiv model. NZ MX-5s will be available with either the 1.5 or a 2.0 engine.
The base MX-5 1.5 with a 6-speed manual starts in Japan from ¥2,494,800 ($27,222). To put that into perspective a base Toyota 86 costs roughly the same. Only the base spec MX-5 weighs under 1000kg, 990kg to be exact. That’s not to say it’s sparse, everything that you’d need has been fitted. You get a CD/USB/Aux stereo playing through four speakers, LED headlights, airbags, hill launch assist, DSC, and traction control. I’d say this seems to be the spec that appeals the most to me. It’s certainly the one that’s most likely to fit the whole Jinba Ittai (horse and rider as one) philosophy.
Upgrade to the ‘Special Package’ and you get a limited slip diff for manual and a weight increase of 20kgs. In this spec you are also given the choice of a 6-speed auto. This also adds auto headlights, auto wipers, MZD Connect with a 7-inch screen, air con, and Bluetooth connectivity with a 6 speaker stereo. The S-Pack Manual starts from ¥2,700,000 ($29,443) and if you want leather with that it’s an extra ¥334,800 ($3,651). The S-Pack Auto starts from ¥2,808,000 ($30,624) and with leather it costs ¥3,142,800 ($34,276). It all seems like a lot but all these creature comforts add to the MX-5’s “everyday usability” appeal.
Powering the JDM-Spec MX-5 is a 1.5-litre SkyActiv engine developing 130bhp/96kW and 150NM of torque. It’s not certain whether the larger 2.0 litre model will be offered in Japan. The 1.5 still manages decent fuel economy figures. The manual has a claimed fuel consumption of 5.8L/100km. The auto is slightly better with 5.3L/100km thanks to the standard fit i-ELOOP + i-Stop systems.
Dimensions for the MX-5 have also been released. Unlike most modern cars that have grown like China’s economy, the MX-5 is still relatively compact. It measures at 3915mm long, 1735mm wide, and 1235mm tall. The base MX-5 weighs 990kg. The S-Pack adds 20kg to that, totalling 1010kg. The auto is a further 40kg on top of that, 1050kg. That’s still better than most “sports cars” these days. That gives the bog standard MX-5 a power-to-weight ratio of 131bhp/tonne.
The 2.0 litre model will be more powerful and no doubt more expensive. The only question is by how much. My guess is that Mazda will price the 1.5 somewhere in the $30k mark, which is quite possible. In that case it’d be on par with the Toyota 86 RC. If that were the case then expect the 2.0 to be around the $40k mark to compete with the 86/GT86. Anything more than $50k would be a tough ask, considering the GT86 tops out at $47,486. There are no confirmed dates for the MX-5’s arrival in New Zealand. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for it and when it does arrive fingers crossed it’ll be priced nicely.
